Former Judge Who Was Caught Texting Instructions To Prosecutors Now Running For District Attorney Post

from the well,-at-least-it's-now-perfectly-clear-which-side-she's-on dept

Judges are supposed to be impartial arbiters of justice. However, former Texas judge Elizabeth Coker felt the prosecution needed a helping hand now and then to ensure "justice" was done and provided hints via text messages to district attorneys. Once evidence of her ex parte communications became public knowledge after an investigation, Coker resigned -- or as she put it, "took one for the team."

While I could have fought these allegations, it would have involved significant time, significant expense, and disruption to everyone involved. I did not feel that was in the best interests of the taxpayers, our court system, my family or myself" Coker stated.

Her resignation became effective Dec. 6. Her campaign to become the district attorney of Polk County became effective Dec. 8.

“I am running for Polk County Criminal District Attorney!!!” she wrote in a Facebook post. “The support and encouragement I am receiving has been overwhelming and humbling. I want to thank all my family, friends and supporters who still want me as a public servant."

This move makes it painfully apparent where Coker's allegiances laid during her tenure as a judge. In her mind, justice is punishing alleged wrongdoers and little else. The defense of the accused runs a very distant second. Her press release posted at Polk County Today makes this even more explicit.

My reputation as a judge was being tough on crime. However, a prosecutor not only has to be tough but also smart on crime. I have the experience, knowledge and expertise to not only continue to be tough on crime but also be fiscally responsible while protecting the citizens of Polk County.

Judges are there to help ensure wrongdoers are punished, but being "tough on crime" isn't part of the job description. Apparently, Coker feels it is. She was "tough on crime" as a judge, so she pitched in and offered assistance to prosecutors and attorneys who might have otherwise made her appear slightly less "tough on crime."

Her ethics violations were enough to get her stripped of her title. Coker can't even officiate a wedding at this point, but somehow feels her very recent past should have no bearing on her future as a "tough on crime" district attorney. This is a pretty bold move for a person in her position, one that should further call into question the cases she presided over as a judge. As the Commission noted back in October, Coker showed "a bias in favor of certain attorneys and a prejudice against others in both her judicial rulings and her court appointments." This is hardly the sort of person that should be elected to another post within the judicial system. If she was willing to break rules to help ensure convictions as a judge, there's no reason to believe she'll be any better behaved as a district attorney.

Yup, that 'resignation' sure showed her...

This just makes it all the more clear that the system should have bit the bullet, braced itself for any backlash and prosecuted her for her misconduct, not just let her off with barely a slap on the wrist as long as she 'agreed' to resign.

Had she been charged for her misconduct, that would have been on the public records, which would have made running for any sort of public office like this extremely difficult, as simply pointing out her past misconduct would have demonstrated that she wasn't fit for any sort of authority.

By letting her off the hook though, in an attempt to avoid any 'hassle' or embarrassment the system would have had to go through to charge, investigate, and prosecute a former judge however, it allows her to spin it as just a 'misunderstanding', and her resignation just a change in jobs, rather than the punishment that it replaced.

What she did could not be more wrong, but she is a rank amateur in comparison with Alcee Hastings, a former Federal District Court Judge for the Southern District of Florida. He was impeached for taking bribes, convicted in the Senate, and then removed from office. His response? He ran for the House of Representatives, won, and has been the representative for the district since 1993.

'I did not feel that was in the best interests of the taxpayers, our court system, my family or myself' but screwing over people by running for the position as a DA, assuming all opposition will be withdrawn now, via txt message of course, is?

Re: Those who cannot learn from history

As pessimistic and cynical as it may sound, if they weren't willing to deal with the hassle to prosecute and charge her when she was a judge, the odds of them willing to do so to a DA are all but non-existent.

A better hope will be an someone else running against her, who is able and willing to dig up just what happened and make it public, showing just how bad it would be having her in such a powerful position.